Hollow core light cage: trapping light behind bars
File(s)
Accepted version
Supporting information
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Optical waveguides represent the key element of integrated planar photonic circuitry having revolutionized many fields of photonics ranging from telecommunications, medicine, environmental science, and light generation. However, the use of solid cores imposes limitations on applications demanding strong light-matter interaction within low permittivity media such as gases or liquids, which has triggered substantial interest toward hollow core waveguides. Here, we introduce the concept of an on-chip hollow core light cage that consists of free-standing arrays of cylindrical dielectric strands around a central hollow core implemented using 3D nanoprinting. The cage operates by an antiresonant guidance mechanism and exhibits extraordinary properties such as (1) diffractionless propagation in "quasi-air" over more than a centimeter distance within the ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared spectral domains, (2) unique side-wise direct access to the hollow core via open spaces between the strands speeding up gas diffusion times by at least a factor of 104, and (3) an extraordinary high fraction of modal fields in the hollow section (>99.9%). With these properties, the light cage can overcome the limitations of current planar hollow core waveguide technology, allowing unprecedented future on-chip applications within quantum technology, ultrafast spectroscopy, bioanalytics, acousto-optics, optofluidics, and nonlinear optics.
Date Issued
2019-03-20
Date Acceptance
2018-12-01
Citation
ACS Photonics, 2019, 6 (3), pp.649-658
ISSN
2330-4022
Publisher
American Chemical Society
Start Page
649
End Page
658
Journal / Book Title
ACS Photonics
Volume
6
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© 2018 American Chemical Society.
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number
EP/M000044/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Physical Sciences
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Optics
Physics, Applied
Physics, Condensed Matter
Science & Technology - Other Topics
Materials Science
Physics
hollow core waveguide
3D nanoprinting
integrated photonics
spectroscopy
leaky modes
antiresonance guidance
WAVE-GUIDES
FIBER
LASER
BAND
GUIDANCE
OPTICS
FIELD
0205 Optical Physics
0206 Quantum Physics
0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2018-12-31